Philadelphia Academies seeks Workforce Development Director

Philadelphia Academies, Inc. (PAI) is a 53-year-old non-profit whose mission is to alleviate poverty by creating opportunities for underserved students to thrive. By partnering with schools on one hand and Industry and Post-Secondary Institutions on the other, we accomplish our mission by providing career-connected educational programming for middle- and high-school students, capacity building for teachers and school leaders, and industry organizing – all in support of student success.

Position: Director of Workforce Development (Full-Time)
As a member of Senior Management and PAI’s Leadership Team, the Director of Workforce Development is responsible for the development, oversite and implementation of PAI’s Workforce Development initiatives for high school aged youth, including Bridge Programming, registered in-school Pre-Apprenticeships and Youth Apprenticeships. The Director will supervise and support a team of staff tasked with program delivery, spearhead vital relationships with schools, industry partners, Advisory Councils, and Apprenticeship Programs, evaluate and make recommendations for the continuation, improvement or elimination of programs, manage all State and ATO Office Paperwork, and support with grant writing and reporting requirements, including managing budgets and ensuring grant goals and milestones are being met. The Director of Workforce Development reports to the Senior Program Director.

Responsibilities & Duties Include:

Oversee Workforce Development Program operations in partner schools, working closely with school administration and teachers to ensure clear goals, communication, and support.
Identify and create relationships and regular channels of communication with industry and post-secondary partners, key stakeholders and champions to ensure the success of programs.
Development of new and existing Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Programs and pathways to Apprenticeships, including program planning, partnership development with schools and relevant Registered Apprenticeships, state registration paperwork, quarterly ATO and grant reporting, etc.
Develop and maintain apprenticeship standards with the assistance of Joint Apprenticeship Committee and through regular communication with PA ATO.
Responsible for researching training needs for industries and coordinating with Subject Matter Experts on a continual basis, including staying up to date on industry recognized certificates and changes in technology.
Designing, updating and working with educational partners and industry stakeholders to keep classroom curriculum and WBL experiences up to date and following industry trends
Manage and oversee all program data, working with staff to monitor progress toward goals, ensure grant milestones are being met, and utilize data to implement program improvements and modifications as needed.
Attend relevant industry events, meetings, and workshops to raise the profile of PAI’s work, stay abreast of the latest developments and trends in related industries, and develop networks of industry professionals to support Advisory Councils and program needs.
Participation on PAI’s Leadership Team, working with other Directors on overall organizational strategy, goals, and visioning.
Participation in all PAI signature events and fundraisers.
Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Required Skills:

Bachelor’s Degree in a related field required.
Commitment to racial equity and applying an equity lens to all that you do.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Demonstrated experience with youth program development.
Experience and knowledge of rules and regulations pertaining to PA ATO procedures required, of US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship preferred.
Working knowledge of State and Federal Workforce Development System (WIOA); including Workforce Development Boards and PA CareerLink procedures.
Experience working with Unions and Community Based Organizations representing underserved communities and target populations.
Experience working with urban public school administration, teachers and/or students strongly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to initiate change and oversee continuous improvement cycles with programming and staff.
Ability to develop and grow relationships with industry professionals and partners with the goal of creating and expanding partnerships.
Demonstrated experience developing and managing staff, with particular focus on professional development and healthy team dynamics.
Critical thinking ability for strategic, high level planning, analysis and problem solving at both programmatic and organization-wide levels.
Experience developing and/or managing budgets and grant proposals/reporting.